Heading device.



ANDREW S. GREENE, OF WHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEADING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Een. 11, 191e.

Alipiieetion 1aed Aprn 11, 1917. serial Nn. 161,145.

To all rwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ANDREW S. GREENE, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Whitman, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Heading Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved heading device adapted to form heads of uniform diameter on nails and tacks. t

It is customary to manufacture nails and tacks from sheet metal and to form heads thereon by bringing a plunger to bear against the head end of the blank. In some nail-making machines hitherto used the heads of the nails have been formed in a die arranged to surround the head-end of the blanks during the head-forming operation, to determine the shape and size of the heads. This has been possible only in the manufacture of nails the heads of which have been of relatively wide diameter in comparison to the diameter of the shank portion,for the reason that the head end of the blank, prior to being headed is relatively wide and requires a bore of relatively large diameter in the head-forming die in order to be able to enter such bore. The purpose of my present invention is to form heads of uniform shape and size of a dia-meter less than the smallest diameter that could result fro-m the use of one piece head-forming die. I `accomplish this result by making the headforming die in two parts capable of opening and closing. The die is split or divided in a plane parallel to and coincidental with the axis of the bore. The two sections of the die are formed with a projection and notch respectively and said projection is arranged in said notch to keep the sections in the desired relation as to endwise movement. The split die is arranged in a holder that acts to close the two parts preparatory to a headforming operation. Such closing action is positive yand the two parts of the die are locked in closed position during the headforming operation. A spring 1s provided for opening the nail-receiving end of the split die when the latter is not locked in closed position as hereinbefore stated.

On the accompanying drawings:

Figure l represents a top plan view embodying what I now consider the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 represents an end elevation as viewed from left to right.

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section therethrough as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. t represent-s a longitudinal section in a horizontal plane as indicated by line 4e-i of Fig. 2. This gure includes also the usual gripping dies that grip the shank portion of the nail-blank.

F ig, 5 represents a cross-section in a vertical plane through the structure intersected by line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. represents a view similar to Fig. 4f excepting that the heading device has been advanced toward the gripping dies far enough to place the head-forming die in contact with said gripping dies.

Fig. 7 represents the same structure in the next stage of advancement, the two sections of the head-forming die having been closed against the head portion of the blank.

Fig. 8 represents a sectional view of the same structure representing the neXt stage of advancement, the heading plunger having been moved to its most advanced position.

Fig. 9 represents a perspective view of a nail-blank before undergoing the first forming operation.

Fig. l0 represents a perspective view of a nail-blank that has undergone the first forming operation, the shank portion thereof having been compressed edgewise.

Fig. 11 represents a perspective view of a finished nail, the shank portion thereof being in the same condition as that represented by Fig. 10, and the head having had a cylindric formation imparted to it.

Fig. l2 represents an elevation of the heading device as mounted in a carrier of a nail-making machine, and includes one of the blank-gripping jaws.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the two sections of the head-forming die.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

Referring rst to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, a nail-blank is indicated at a. This blank is out from sheet metal and is approximately triangular in plan view. After the blank has been cut it is gripped by suit-able gripping dies that compress it edgewise into the form shown by Fig. 10, thereby forming shoulders b, b to define the shank portion c and the head portion d. The gripping dies referred to remove the sharpness from the edges ot the shank portion and impart a substantially cylindric formation to the shank portion.

My invention has nothing to do with the method of, or means for, promoting the nailforming operation until after the blank has assumed the condition shown by Fig. 10. The head-forming elements, in which my present invention is embodied transform the head from the shape shown by Fig. to a substantially cylindric shape as shown by Fig. 11. In the latter figure the head has a cyl-indric surface c and a flat end face 7, the

diameter or' the cylindric surface being determined by the split die hereinafter described.

The heading device comprises a holder having a shank 15 that is square in crosssection as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, but the left hand portion 16 is turned to cylindric form as indicated by a circular dotted line. The shank is thus provided with four shoulders where the portions 15 and 16 meet. A sleeve 17 is fitted upon the portion 16 and is affixed to the latter by set-screws 18, 18.

The head-forming die comprises twosections 20, 20. These sections are arranged in the sleeve 17 and are capable of moving toward and from each other in the manner of jaws. The sections of the die are provided with flanges 21, 21 respectively and they are arranged behind screws 22, 22, the latter being threaded in the sleeve 17. A helical compression spring 23 bears against the two sections of the die and also bears against the end 24 oi' the shank, and serves to keep the die sections advanced normally in relation to the holder. The sections of the die are provided with external inclined shoulders 25, 25 respectively, and two hardened shoes 26, 26 (Fig. 5) are arranged in the sleeve 17 to traverse the shoulders to move the work-engaging portions oi' the section 20, 20 toward each other when the sleeve 17 is advanced relatively to the die. The inner ends of the shoes 26 are beveled and are arranged to engage the inner ends of the screws 22. As the screws are screwed toward the center of the sleeve they act upon the beveled inner ends of the shoes and advance the latter relatively to the holder, and such relative movement is utilized to adjust the shoes toward and from the axis in consequence of providing the shoes with inclined outer faces 27, 27 Setscrews 28, 28 are screwed into the sleeve 17 in position to bear upon the inclined surfaces 27.

The head-forming die, considering the sections 20, 2O collectively, is provided with a bore 29 to receive the head end of the nail-blank and to receive the heading plunger 30. The dies are held against ro tative movement relatively to the sleeve 17 by a screw 31 threaded in the latter, the sections 20, 20 having registering rabbeted portions 32 (Figs. 3 and 5) that form, collectively, a groove to receive the inner end of said screw. Said groove is elongated to permit'longitudinal movement of the sleeve 17 relatively to the die. One section of the die is provided with spurs 33 and the other section is provided with notches 34 to receive said spurs, to hold the two sections against longitudinal movement relatively to cach other. The spurs are adapted to rock in the notches 34 to enable the outer ends of the die sections to move toward and from each other. The shank of the holder is formed with a socket to contain a bushing 35. This bushing is bored for the reception of the heading plunger 30 and is Providedv with set screws 36 arranged to bear against the sides of the plunger to keep the latter rigid relatively to the bushing. The inner end of the bushing is counter-bored and tapped with a screw thread to receive a set screw 37, the latter being arranged to bear against the inner end oi' the heading` plunger to sustain the end thrust. Suc-h end thrust is sustained in turn by the shank 15 of the holder, the inner end of the bushing 35 being seated against the inner end of the socket formed in the shank. The forward end of the bushing 35 is turned down to smaller diameter and is surrounded by a helical compression spring 38. This spring, acting against the bushing 35 and against the parts 20, 20 of the die serves to keep the bushing seatedagainst the inner end of its socket and serves also to keep the sections of the die open as shown by Fig. 4 excepting when said sections are closed as hereinafter. explained. The opening movenient ot the sections 20, 20 is due to the stress ot spring 38 in .conjunction with the coaction of the flanges 21, 21 with the screws 22, 22, said flanges being adapted to rock on said screws, and the spring being arranged to bear against the die sections between the axis of the die and the contacting portions oit the ianges and screws.

In accordance with the usual practice in nail-making machines theV nail-blank is gripped edgewise by two coperative jaws 39, 39. These jaws are brought to bear against the blank with suicient pressure to compress the blank so as to transform the latter from the. condition shown by Fig. 9 to that shown by Fig. 10, the head portion of the blank protruding from the jaws as shown by Fig. 4. The heading device is mounted upon a carrier 40 and the latter is arranged to swing upon a hinge pin 41. The shank of the holder is clamped upon carrier .40 by a set screw 42 carried by the carrier 40, and another set screw, indicated at 43 and carried by said carrier, is arranged to bear against the rear end of shank 15 to sustain the end thrust against the holder. I have not shown any mechanism for moving the carrier 40 beca-use such mechanism is well-known in nail-making machines. It will be sufficient tostate that when the carrier 40 is in its initial position the heading die is retracted from the gripping jaws 39, and that the operating mechanism for the carrier moves the heading die against the gripping jaws.

The initial relation of the heading device and gripping jaws is shown by Fig. 4. When the heading device starts to move toward the gripping jaws the sections 20, 20 of the heading die are open to receive the head portion Z of the nail. The forward movement of the heading die is arrested by the gripping jaws before the carrier 40 has "completed its movement, and during thelatter part of such movement the shoes 26, 26 are advanced relatively to the heading die and thereby act upon the shoulders 25, 25 to move the sections 20, 20 toward each other. The flat confronting faces of the sections 20, 20 are thus brought into engagement with each other and the heading die becomes to all intents and purposes a unit, and is locked in closed position by the shoes 26 after the leading ends of the latter have passed the shoulders 25, as shown by' Fig.l 7. As the die holder continues to advance the heading plunger 30 is brought to bear against the head portion of the blank as shown by Fig. 8 and transforms the head portion to the shape shown by Fig. 1l.

When the carrier 40 is retracted, springs 23 and 38 expand, the former returning the heading die to its initial position relatively to the holder, and the spring 38 acting to open the sections of the die.

It will be observed that the heading die is arranged so that the sections 20, 20 move toward and from each other in lines substantially parallel to the opening and closing movement of the gripping jaws 39, and that the sections 20, 20 are therefore adapted to be brought into contact with the edges d, d of the head portion d before the heading plunger is brought to bear against the blank. For this reason it is possible to make uniform cylindric heads of smaller diameter than would be possible if the heading die were not capable of opening and closing, for when a heading die is made of one piece the bore in which the head is formed must be substantially larger than the greatest transverse dimension of the head of the blank to enable the die to be moved to the heading position without encountering the head in so moving.

The die sections 20, 2O may, if desired, be used to compress the head d edgewise, and the result of such operation is shown by Figs. 6 and 7. Thus the width of the head from edge d to the opposite edge al may be reduced prior to bringing the plunger to bear against the end of the head. For this reason less stock is required to form the head, and the upsetting of the stock is accomplished partly by the die-closing operation and partly by the plunger operation, and a relatively slight upsetting of stock by the plunger is suiiicient to expand the head to fill the chamber formed by the work-engagmg portions of the die sections.

I claim:

l. A heading device comprising a heading plunger and a heading die arranged to coact, to form the head on a nail, a holder therefor, Said die being movable relatively to said holder and said plunger in lines parallel to the axis of the latter, said die consisting of a plurality of work-engaging sections movable relatively to each other toward and from said axis to engage and compress into shape a nail head, and means carried by said holder and arranged to move said work-engaging sections toward said heading plunger in consequence of advancing said holder relatively to said die.

2. A heading device comprising a heading plunger and a heading die arranged to coact, said plunger passing through said die, a holder therefor, said die being movable relatively to said holder and said plunger in lines parallel to the axis of the latter, said die consisting of a plurality of Work-engaging sections movable relatively to each other toward and from said axis, each of said sections having an external inclined shoulder, and means carried by said holder and arranged to coact with said shoulders to move said work-engaging sections toward each other in consequence of advancing said holder relatively to said die, said means and said sections having coactive surfaces arranged to lock said sections in closed relation and to slide, one upon another, in consequence of advancing said holder relatively to said die after said sections have been closed as aforesaid.

3. A heading device comprising a heading plunger and a heading die arranged to coact, a holder therefor, said die being movable relatively to said holder and said plunger in lines parallel to the axis of the latter, said die consisting of a pair of coperative members arranged to engage the work at opposite points and having external shoulders, the Work-engaging portions of said members being movable toward and from each other, a spring arranged to advance said die relatively t0 said holder, stops carried by said holder and arranged to engage the shoulder of said die members to l1m1t the advance movement 0f the die relatively to the holder, said die members being adapted to rock on said stops respectively to open said Work-engagingportions,and means arranged to cause angular movement oi' said die members to coact, a holder therefor, said die being movable relatively to said holder and said plunger in lines parallel to the axis of the latter, said die consisting of a plurality of Workengaging Sections movable relatively to each other toward and from said axis, each of said sections having an external inclined shoulder, a plurality of slices cariied by said holder and arranged to traverse said shoulders to move said Work-engaging scctions toward said axis in consequence of advancing said holder relatively to said die, and means carried by said holder and arranged to adjust said shoes endwise.

5. A heading device comprising a heading die and a heading plunger arranged to coact, a holder therefor, said die being mov able relatively to said holder and said plunger in lines parallel to the axis of the latter, said die consisting ci' a plurality of Workengaging sections movable relatively to each other toward and from said axis, each ot said sections having an external inclined shoulder, a plurality of shoes carried by said holder and arranged to traverse said shoulders to move said work-engaging sections toward said axis in consequence of advancing said holder relatively to said die,

ing die and a heading plunger arranged to coact, a holder' therefor, said die being movable relatively to said holder and ger in lines parallel to the `axis of the latsaid *plun-v ter, said die consisting of two coperative V members arranged at opposite sidesfof said axis, the Work-engaging portions of `Said 4 members being movable towardand from' each other, one of said members having. a spur and the other having a notch arranged to receive said spur', said spur and notch being arranged to prevent endwise movement of one member relatively to the other, and permit a relative rocking movement of the work-engaging portions of toward and from each other, said members having inclined external surfaces, and means carried by said holder and arranged to traverse said inclined surfaces to move the vforli-engaging portions of said meinbers toward each other.

7. A heading device comprisinga holder, a heading plunger die supported by said holder and movable axially of said holder and plunger, saidV die comprising members between which: said plunger projects, having interengaged p0r-v tions to permit the operative ends ofV said members to rock toward and from each other, and a springnormally holding said operative ends in open or separated position.

n testimony whereof I' have aiiixed my signature. ANDREW S. GREENE.

Copies of this. patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

said members fixed therein, a heading 

